Ratchet wrenches have the advantage of permitting the wrench to maintain engagement with the nut or bolt being torqued during the wrench return movement. Such wrenches are widely used in the mechanical arts, and take many forms.
Usually, ratchet wrenches consist of a handle upon which a torque member is rotatably mounted. Ratchet teeth on the torque member engage with a pivoted handle-mounted detent, and the detent is so positioned as to transmit torque to the torque member during unidirectional movement of the handle and permit the detent to "ride over" the ratchet teeth during the handle return movement. Usually, the direction of torquing reversal is controlled by a detent actuator. Conventional ratchet wrenches require considerable machining and fabrication, and are relatively expensive.
Ratchet wrenches have been proposed having a head pivotally mounted upon a handle wherein the head includes a rotatable torque transfer member and a detent mounted on the handle selectively engages the torque member ratchet teeth depending on the pivotal orientation of the head to the handle during the torque transfer and return handle movements. Ratchet wrenches of this type are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,796,790 and 3,255,647. However, such prior art ratchet wrenches, while of a simpler design than many ratchet wrench constructions, are still relatively complex and cannot be economically manufactured.
It is an object of the invention to provide a low cost ratchet wrench which is primarily constructed of stamped metal components.
Another object of the invention is to provide a ratchet wrench primarily formed of stamped metal components wherein a head is pivotally mounted upon the end of a handle, and a handle-mounted detent selectively engages a head-mounted torque transfer member having ratchet teeth, and stop means interposed between the head and handle limit the pivotal movement therebetween.
A further object of the invention is to provide a low cost ratchet wrench which is dependable in operation, simple to use, rugged and dependable, and which will remain operative over long periods of nonuse.
In the practice of the invention an elongated handle formed of sheet or plate material includes a head pivotally mounted thereon adjacent one end. The head is formed by a pair of plates maintained in parallel spaced relationship by rivets and a torque transfer member in the form of a circular socket sleeve is rotatably mounted upon the head plates and includes concentric ratchet teeth located between the plates. A pin and slot arrangement defined in the handle and head limits the degree of pivotal movement of the head relative to the handle.
A detent is defined upon the handle end adjacent the head and is so related to the ratchet teeth that as the head pivots relative to the handle between torque transfer and handle return positions, the detent and ratchet teeth selectively engage. Pivotal movement of the head relative to the handle results from the transfer of torque, and, automatically, the detent will engage the torque member ratchet teeth during the transfer of torque, and disengage therefrom during return movement of the handle.
A spring interposed between the handle and head biases the head toward a ratchet teeth-detent engaging position, and the torque transfer means is symmetric with respect to its axis of rotation whereby the direction of torqueing can be reversed merely by reversing the position of the handle on the member being rotated.